I love this book so much. I went into Only Mostly Devastated without reading the description first, and when I figured out I was either a sort of retelling or inspired by Grease, I was absolutely delighted. I have that movie m e m o r i z e d. So this was such a joy to read.

All of the characters in this book felt fleshed out and real to me. I also appreciated how the serious story of a family struggling through illness and loss was woven into this romantic comedy; it felt very realistic to experience something devastating even while your love story is happening. And the subplots were elegantly threaded together, maintaining great tension and pacing throughout, and making you really care about each character.

I loved Ollie. LOOOOVED Ollie. Loved his voice, his character arc, his humor, and his introspection — and spoiler here, but <spoiler>his rumination on death… it was like he got inside my HEAD. I was just aggressively nodding, like THESE ARE THOUGHTS I HAVE HAD.</spoiler> I also loved every scene between him and Will, and adored their relationship. And LARA. Wow. What a fantastic, complex side character. Her arc was incredible.

All in all, this was a severely entertaining read, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to simultaneously laugh and sob.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC!

Ollie just had the perfect summer romance at the lake, but is worried by the silent treatment he has now been given. When Ollie finds out that he isn't returning home to California, but instead staying in North Carolina to stay to help his aunt with cancer, he thinks that he and Will can continue to have a happy, perfect romance. Except, still no response. Ollie is convinced he's been ghosted.

That is, until he sees Will at a party on the first day of school.

And Will pretends to not know him.

Well. There's that.

A wonderful novel about love, coming out, family, friendship, and life, "Only Mostly Devastated" is full of wonderful side-characters, plenty of Disney references, and empowerment.

Only Mostly Devasted has romance, drama and it is cute. I loved he representation in this book and I enjoyed the theme of the importance of family in the book. The representation includes a bi MC, bi side character, plus sized side character and people of colour. I don't know if all the representation is correct but I liked that it was added into the book. I found parts of the book were funny and I did smile while reading parts of it.

I liked Ollie as a character although there were points where his inner monologues were a little much for me. Ollie is a cinnamon roll and I thought he was adorable. Will felt a little flat to me and I couldn't tell you anything about him. The side characters were fun but still felt a little off.

I'm not fond of the use of italics in books and this uses italics on words. I just find it a little harder to read. The writing was good and I found it easy to read. I enjoyed the Grease vibes from the book and I liked how I could recognise which scenes were an influence for the book.

Overall I found it an enjoyable read but I didn't fully connect. It is a light, easy and cute read that many people will enjoy.

Only Mostly Devastated is one of the first young adult books that I've read that has a gay protagonist. Ollie has a summer romance while on the other side of the country, and when he unexpectedly moves there for his senior year of high school, he has to navigate new friendships, a community less diverse and accepting than his previous school in California, and the illness of his beloved aunt. Ollie is a kind, compassionate character struggling with the same questions and challenges that all teens face. The story was heartwarming and at times heartbreaking. One of the best books I've read recently!

Five fabulous stars (for the book as a whole, and for Ollie's narration.)

‘Only Mostly Devastated’ is a realistic and relatable story of teenagers going through what most kids in high school experience; friendships, crushes, dating, jealousy, misunderstandings, spite, and a whole lot of sarcasm. Added to which is the completely normal part of the crushes and dating process, the possibility of ‘coming out’ as not entirely cisgender or straight.

Ollie’s tale gave me all the feels and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Grab your copy on March 3, 2020!

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

Ollie had an amazing summer romance with a boy named Will that he met while visiting his aunt in NC over the summer. But his aunt isn't doing very well and his parents decide to move to NC to help take care of her. This would be great news - except Will hasn't been responding to any of Ollie's messages and Ollie is starting to feel rejected. When school starts up, Ollie falls in with a group of girls (Juliette, Lara, and Niamh) and starts to feel like he's got a foothold in his new life - until he realizes that Will goes to his new school and that Will isn't "out" yet. Instead, Will is the antithesis of what Ollie expected, a jock, a class clown, wildy popular. And Will stands by as his friends make gay jokes and continues ignoring Ollie. Eventually, Will starts reaching out to Ollie, but wants to keep their friendship (And eventually their relationship) a secret. Ollie is hurt by Will's refusal to stand up for him or their friendship

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I really enjoyed the LGBTQ+ representation inside of a YA contemporary romance. There was not just the gay representation with Ollie/Will but also a bisexual character as well. I think it's important for stories to have diverse representation and this book dealt with these topics well. There were characters both out and not out, the idea of being "gay" didn't feel cliched or forced but felt like a natural part of the characters instead of just thrown in for appearances. I also think that the characters in general were diverse and well rounded and found the cast of characters to be overall fun to read and learn more about.

The writing was well done and balanced the serious aspects of the story with more lighthearted ones. The characters dealt with difficult things - illness, acceptance, school stress - in believable ways but the story never felt overall down or depressing. It felt like there was a good balance between the different elements of the story and that they all worked well to blend into a cohesive story line.

First of all a big thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC copy of this book.
Ok I’m still debating if it’s a 4.5⭐️ or a 5⭐️ read because let me tell you, it was AMAZING!! I loved all the characters, specially Lara (she’s so sassy and sarcastic and I love that about her character!) It was a beautiful experience for me; reading this book and I couldn’t be more glad that I did. I specially adored Will even though some of his behaviors were inexcusable and most of the times he was a complete as*hole (sorry for swearing) but in the end he figured everything out and got what he wanted all along (a happily ever after!). But Will is a cinnamon-roll in disguise so I forgave his behavior the moment he did THAT! (sorry can’t spoil the ending!)
Ollie, omg he is adorable and cute and I loved his character development the best (Will’s character development was even better but hush let Ollie have this moment). At the beginning of the book Ollie was pinning hard on Will but then after a certain scene in the book he realized that if Will cannot give him what he wanted then he had to stop going after him. He grew as a character and decided that Will’s behavior was something he couldn’t excuse. So he decided to let go and what happened next is for you people to find out; seriously grab this book as soon as it comes out it’s AWESOME 👏🏻
I loved the ending because it was a Hollywood ending and I’m a sucker for those kind of endings.
I loved how this book dealt with a lot of serious topics like: coming out, death, moving to a new place, etc.

Even without the synopsis mentioning it, it is impossible not to think about Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda when reading this book. However, I found Ollie more likable than Simon, and I enjoyed reading this so much more.

While I've seen complaints that the central M/M story wasn't always the #1 focus of the book, I thought that felt like it reflected the reality of teenage life. There were several things going on, with an undercurrent of the relationship and family problems that were affecting Ollie.

Some of the side characters were a little flat, so this was not an absolute homerun for me, but by the end I did feel invested enough to get emotional about how some things turned out.

Received an eARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for sending me an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review!

If you've ever seen Grease you know this story. Ollie had an amazing summer romance with Will who proceeded to ghost him by the end. In a simple twist of fate Ollie is staying in North Carolina to help his parents take care of his Aunt Linda while she goes through her cancer treatment and who does he bump into at a school party? Will. Turns out Will seemingly doesn't want anything to do with him and almost refuses to acknowledge Ollie in any way.

I seriously have mixed feelings about this book. Ollie is out, but Will isn't which in turn causes Will to act like an asshole to Ollie (Which is fairly true to Grease), but the issue for me is that Ollie is kind of being insensitive as he's slowly getting close to Will. I can see why Will would be concerned about coming out to his friends and importantly to his parents when we hear of some less than pleasant remarks they made about sexual orientations.

it's important to explain sexuality and show everything in a positive light because IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL, but also important to not romanticize the grand reveal so to speak of someone coming out to their parents with little to no consequence, when it's been hinted at in the first 2/3 of the book from his family and friends would have a problem or be insensitive.

There is also a lot of conversation about cancer and it's progression showing how it takes a toll on a family and the outcome. If you are sensitive to these subjects, I think you should skip this one at least until you're in a better place mentally and emotionally. It was really hard for me to read as someone who recently lost a family member. The subject was done very well, showing stages of grief, but was really hard to read. Also, as soon as the couple chapters were over it was kind of forgotten until the final few pages of the book.

It tried desperately to be an inclusive book with lots of body positivity and explanation of certain illnesses, but at times I felt it did lay it on a little thick.

Still, after all this. The story was fairly cute. Just keep in mind that there is a bit of homophobia, light fat shaming and a character lashes with a little girl-hate. If you're cool with all this and want to read a refreshing and very inclusive Grease inspired story. Check it out.

I absolutely adored this book. Between this book and Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, I can't seem to get enough of LGBT romantic comedy novels. The writing style was wonderful, the characters were believable, and the plot was the right amount of angst and hilarity. This truly felt like Grease but absolutely, wonderfully LGBT. Despite receiving this ARC, I plan to purchase a physical copy when the book comes out - which is my best defining compliment on just how much I loved a book.

ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Only Mostly Devastated is a delightful queer romance, loosely inspired by Grease  which I watched halfway through the book and I kind of hated it  written by Sophie Gonzales.

Our main boy is Oliver, best known as Ollie-oop, a music enthusiast who is visiting his family in North Carolina for summer vacation. In NC, he meets sweet, adorable, kind Will and they spend all summer together. A family emergency forces Ollie to move to Collinswood and to enrol in the local high school for his senior year. Unbeknownst to him, Will is also a student there and Ollie discovers that the idea he has of the guy he met over summer is rather wrong. High school Will is a closeted, douchey class clown and not at all the Disney Prince he dreams of.

I really liked Sophie Gonzales’ writing style. The plot flowed effortlessly and I didn’t expect to be carried off in such a tornado of emotions, which I loved. The characters were all relatable and well-developed. The only exception: Will. I liked and hated him simultaneously and it may be because he reminded me of a perpetual crush I have.

Only Mostly Devastated has an assured place in my go-to list of queer books to recommend.

I had to read on this book many times to be able to complete it. I am not sure why, but I just could not get interested enough in it. It is well written, but lacking in the interest department.

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this arc. I will be reviewing this book in the near future with an honest rating and review.

Thank you, Sophie Gonzales and St. Martin Press for giving me an advance copy of ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTED from Netgalley.

Ollie meets Will during summer break while visiting his sick aunt. The boys have a summer fling, but Ollie doesn't go back to Southern California as they expected. Ollie ends up staying in North Carolina to help out his aunt and her family, with the hopes of continuing his relationship with Will. Except Ollie finds out that Will isn't the guy he got to know during the summer. Will is in the closet, pretends to not know Ollie, and avoids him so his friend don't find out what was between them.

I really enjoyed this book. Despite the author making very old references that today's teens would have no clue as to what they mean, I think the emotions and relationship dynamics are spot on. I laughed, I cried, and I felt like a teen again. Which is exactly why I read YA Contemporary.

Absolutely perfect in every way. In case the synopsis doesn't convince you than allow me to do the honors: this book is phenomenal. It's got that summer-lovin' vibe that makes romcoms blush, a cast of lovable but realistically broken and flawed characters, all with a dash of music and culture clash.

What more could you want??

Oh my god, this was so cute! I would take a bullet for Ollie! He’s so sweet, but I got the feeling that he was being taken for granted quite a lot. I’m so glad that people around him realised what a gem he is. I confess I was a tiny bit sceptical at first. After reading the synopsis, I was dubious about Will and his redeeming. Praising the Lord, Will’s growth was amazingly written! It was devastating yet understandable about the way he acted. Growing up in North Carolina his only reprieve was that one summer where he let go of the blanket covering him and allowed Ollie see him for who he truly was.

"Then we really looked at each other, and it was like being locked into place."
(Cue me being shot with an arrow.)

The Roses were surprisingly marvellous, especially Lara and Juliette, but I missed Niamh's contribution. She wasn't as developed as I would have liked, she just kind of floats.
But overall, it was perfect! The words in this story are masterfully composed into a relaxing cup of tea that will always smell delicious, always be smiled upon being touched by the welcoming warmth. At times it was heartbreaking, but mostly it was sweet, cute and heartening. It was a gorgeous read and I’m so grateful that I was able to read an advanced copy and experience this fluff of a book. Highly recommended!! I'm definitely re-reading this when it's officially released!

Such a fun book! I really loved the romance. I'm looking forward to the next release from Sophie Gonzales - hopefully another contemporary romance?

This was such a cute book! It touched on a lot of serious issues but still managed to have a lighthearted vibe. Very enjoyable read!

In his senior year, Ollie transfers to a new highschool. His summer fling Will, who Ollie thought he’d never see again, attends the same school. Will is popular and acts differently around his friends. While he initially ignores Ollie, Will begins to appear more in his life, confusing him. Meanwhile, Ollie makes new friends and struggles with a family situation.

Ollie is an interesting protagonist. He begins the story insecure, but gradually gains confidence. It took me longer to like Will, but he’s an interesting character as well. Their romance is cute.

While I won’t elaborate to not spoil the plot, the “family emergency” mentioned in the summary was handled well. The emotions of the characters were portrayed realistically.

I also liked how developed the side characters were, particularly Ollie’s friends Juliette, Lara, and Niamh. He had a unique dynamic with each girl, and they had their own individual problems to overcome.

Ollie’s personality shines through the narration. However, I didn’t find the writing style compelling because of the lack of detail. For example, settings aren’t described much and Ollie’s appearance is vague. My only other issue is that Ollie’s bandmates weren’t developed. However, the strong elements of the book outweigh the lacking areas.

Overall, I really liked this novel.

I do have a soft spot for high school romances, especially the one involving a coming-out story. Oh, not that I miss school days😬 . . . just prefer the adult life without the worries of exam grades and revisions. All the same, glad to receive a copy of this book through a wish in netgalley.
The novel progresses through the perspective of Ollie (yes, our devastated hero). Brave and caring, he manages to win our hearts from the very beginning. There are no usual teenage tantrums as we expect, instead, we are shown to the life of a mature boy (partly owing to his upbringing) who steps in to help his aunt in the time of need.
And that brings me to the next character: Aunt Linda. She may not have that many appearances, but her influence permeates throughout; some sad and some inspiring. It could be because I am on bed rest with a herniated disk that her plight drew me in. It is not anywhere near cancer, but she gave me the much-needed catharsis. There are sometimes in our lives, we are confronted with some unexpected and unsurmountable barriers, and that in turn make us realise how much we are going to miss some ordinary things. So the way Linda approached her deadly illness, reminds one of the importance of little things.
Will, Ollie's Disney prince, has his own demons to fight. Unlike his lover, his parents and friends are not open to his sexuality. His problems could be the usual ones, but the author way of dealing it is quite refreshing. Well, some scenes are quite unoriginal but that didn't stop me from shouting out with glee (internally, of course).
Altogether a beautiful, heartwarming story that will make you weep and smile till the blissful end. Surely something to mark your calendars for in 2020.